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About the Senior Mobility Initiative

The San Mateo County Senior Mobility Initiative is a joint effort by a broad coalition of concerned entities in San Mateo County, with the leadership of the San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans), to keep older people, including those with disabilities, safe and connected to their communities as problems related to aging make it harder for them to get around.

News

Mobility Ambassadors attend an Easter Seals Travel Training Workshop

The SamTrans Mobility Ambassadors participated in a train-the-trainer workshop on November 7-9, 2012. The workshop was conducted by Easter Seals Project Action staff and taught the volunteer Ambassadors advanced methods for teaching seniors and people with disabilities how to use public transit. Representatives from seven other Bay Area transit and non-profit agencies also attended the program. The workshop was made possible by a grant from the Metropolitan Transit Commission through the New Freedom grants program of the Federal Transit Administration. The workshop will be offered again in late 2013 or early 2014.

Would you like a rewarding and satisfying volunteer job?

Would you like to assist seniors in our community stay independent and mobile by helping them learn how to ride SamTrans? Our Ambassadors find the work rewarding, and know that their efforts have made a tremendous difference in helping people stay independent and mobile. You don’t need to have teaching experience, and transit experience is a plus, but not required. If you are friendly, responsible, patient, and enthusiastic about helping others gain mobility independence you may be the ideal Mobility Ambassador! To learn more about becoming a SamTrans Mobility Ambassador, click here.

New Mobility Ambassadors Brochure

Check out the new brochure for the Mobility Ambassador program by clicking here. If you would like to request printed copies of the brochure to distribute to your clients, friends, family, and neighbors, please contact Jean Conger at 650-508-6362.

The San Mateo City/County Assocation of Governments (C/CAG) Board of Directors met on May 10th, 2012 and approved the Measure M Annual Performance Report. The C/CAG sponsored Measure M, approved by the voters of San Mateo County in 2010, imposes an annual fee of ten dollars ($10) on motor vehicles registered in San Mateo County for transportation-related traffic congestion and water pollution mitigation programs. The estimated revenue of $6.7 million annually ($167 million over the next 25 years) helps fund various transportation programs for the 20 cities and the County. Per the Expenditure Plan, $125,000 will be allocated on an annual basis for the Senior Mobility Program.

Mobility Ambassador Program Expands to More Senior Centers Throughout County

The Mobility Ambassador program trains volunteer “Ambassadors” to help older adults and people with disabilities become familiar with their various transportation options. Ambassadors are given a sixteen hour, three-day training and then deployed to “host” senior centers throughout the County. The ambassadors conduct a variety of activities, both at and outside of the senior center, to help older adults and people with disabilities understand, procure, and use their various transportation options, including, but not limited to:

making educational outreach presentations

conducting group and one-on-one rider training

organizing transit field trips to exciting locations

distributing information and guidance on transit options

The Mobility Ambassador program was launched in January of 2010 at six senior centers with ten Ambassadors as part of the Senior Mobility Initiative led by the San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans). In the first year, the Ambassadors made nearly 1,800 individual contacts and logged 1,084 hours, nearly three times the number projected. The program recently expanded to nine senior centers and trained seven new ambassadors, bringing the team to a total of twelve Ambassadors.

To learn more about the Mobility Ambassador Program, to schedule an appointment with an Ambassador, or to volunteer, contact Jean Conger at 650-508-6362, or email ambassador@samtrans.com. You can also find out more on the Mobility Ambassador page.

The Mobility Ambassador program is funded with Federal Transportation Administration’s New Freedom funds through the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and by the San Mateo County Transit District.